Chapter 40 – “Gargan Subjugation Team, you say?” (Middle)

When I returned to the shop, I needed to warn Timu and the others about what I had heard earlier. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if magic dogs attacked them while they were happily playing.

“Timu, I kind of need to talk to you…”

“Oneesama, I too have something I must speak to you about.”

“Oh, what a coincidence. Well then, won’t you listen to me first?”

“Understood.”

“The truth is, apparently the nearby village Zalgie has been attacked by magic beasts.”

“I too wished to speak about that. It was my blunder. Because of the Demon King Army, they have noticed Gargan’s presence. Rumours have already begun to spread to the neighbouring towns.”

U-, Ummm, Gargan? And the Demon King Army?

But I was talking about a pack of magic dogs, not some puppy.

To begin with, what the heck do you mean it’s the Demon King Army’s fault!

I looked at Timu’s face. It’s her usual serious expression. She doesn’t look like she’s messing with me.

…I see. So it’s her usual chuunibyou speak. I could just cut her off here. But chuunibyou needs patience to heal. I won’t ignore her. I should be hearing her out.

“Timu, Gargan is a puppy, isn’t he? He’s unrelated to the topic this time, right?”

“Huhu, Gargan may be a puppy to you, Oneesama, but he is a fully-fledged dark dragon, you know. To the rabble, I believe Gargan is like a calamity that overturns heaven and earth.”

Mmn, this isn’t getting anywhere. A dark dragon, you say? Then we’re keeping two of them as pets. That’s amazing. We could make them our shop’s selling point. Hell, maybe I should just start cooking dragon.

“And about this being the Demon King Army’s fault?”

Honestly, I’ve just about given up on trying to advance this conversation, but I’ll ask just in case.

“In order to conceal Gargan, I have been using untraceable mountain bandits and highwaymen as food. If we touched any villagers, naturally this nation would be alerted.”

“Well yeah. The Public Safety Force would come rushing over. And if too many strange stories are told, a scary oneesan from the Public Safety Force will come running over to hand out a spanking, okay?”

I was subtly warning Timu about her chuuni speak. But Timu didn’t seem to mind at all. Or rather, she doesn’t even realise I was talking about her?

The conversation went on without her realising. She talked on and on about the Demon King Army’s movements, or the activities of the organisation, or the invasion on the neighbouring counties.

And the conclusion…?

Gargan was being fed bandits as pet food. The peace and safety around Beruga town was all safe and good. And then, the more bandits(pet food) Gargan ate, the more often they could bump heads with scouts from the Demon King Army. Those scouts had been attacking Zalgie village with magic beasts that devoured the villagers. That’s when Gargan appeared. All the scouts evacuated in a hurry. The scouts had escaped, and somebody caught a glimpse of Gargan just as Zalgie village had been destroyed.

“Hmm~ Gargan has it rough, huh~ So it was a false accusation, huh~”

“Yes. For the sake of the Evil God Army’s world domination, I had been keeping Gargan prudently, but it has all come to nothing. Had I known this was going to happen, I should have just let him rampage to begin with.”

Timu, I get it. I get it, but just when are you going to recover from your chuunibyou? At this rate, who knows when you’ll be able to make any friends your age.

“Camilla-sama’s anger is most justified. We must exact the appropriate vengeance upon the loathsome Demon King Army.”

Not losing to Timu at all, Pervert(Nielsen)’s chuunibyou jumped right into full throttle.

Hahh. I have to look after you as well? I’m getting a headache. Honestly, just give me a break from all this chuuni please. Let’s move to the real topic. This isn’t the time for nonsense.

“Timu, let’s not speak of the Demon King Army anymore. The real problem is the warning about magic beasts. When you head out to play, stay away from Zalgie Village.”

“Oneesama, of course I already know this. I cannot allow our presence to become any more salient. I will convey your message to all the members of the Household Guard.”

“I-, I see. Well, as long as you stay away, that’s fine I guess.”

It looks like I can finally relax for a bit. Timu and the others were playing in a real danger zone, so I was worried. All we need now is for the subjugation team to take down the magic dogs, and then we’re in the clear.

Wait, hang on. That isn’t simple at all…

It’s the fault of the deadly magic dog pack. But Gargan is being kept free range, so there’s a chance he’ll mess up people’s farms. It wouldn’t be strange for the subjugation team to exterminate Gargan as well. I need to do something about this.

“Also, a subjugation team will be dispatched from the Guild, so what will you be doing about Gargan?”

“That would become a problem, wouldn’t it.”

“Yeah, it would, huh.”

I’m sure that those guys will hunt down any magic beast they see. Would they be lenient if it’s just a puppy? Although Gargan is our pet, he’s being raised like a stray.
In my old life, back in lax Japan, stray dogs would be brought to a health centre. But in this world there’s no reason to spare them.

Should I try talking to the subjugation team just to try?

But they’d probably say “No way, no way. If we spare one, we’ll end up sparing them all. The orders say to eliminate all magic beasts!”.

Can’t be helped. Should we shelter Gargan in the shop then?

No, I don’t think that would work either. We have pride as a restaurant. Even for a few days, we can’t allow a hygiene problem. I feel bad for Timu, but we might have to return Gargan to the wild someplace far away.

“Timu, it’s a shame, but it’s starting to look like we’ll have to let go of Gargan.”

“EH!? G-, Gargan is like my other half that I have braved countless battles together with in the last great war. B-, But if Oneesama so desires then I… t-, then I…”

Ever since our little sword show the other day, Myuu’s stock has been on a sudden rise. We’re going to have a talk with the Guild after all. Obviously we need somebody who can behave like an adult, right?
And also, Myuu is the strongest member of our group. Although we’re just going there to talk, who knows what might happen. I won’t be able to relax without a talented swordsman watching over me.

It`s more like him guarding the bandits…..^^ Tilea-sama would accidently surely do a rather…. unexpected work out with them…. killing them accidently… or leaving them on the brink of death with a hearty sneeze or punch in the air… or she would just use some ridicolous spell as scar accidently thinking it an illusion xD

It’s not really a good idea to bring a freaking demon right into the guild who likes to subjugate demons… but who am I to say anything. And really, you want to shelter gargan in the shop? I’d like to see a freaking dragon that is far larger than the shop being sheltered in it… lol

Translator #2

When not swimming with polar bears or sleeping in an igloo, likes to stare at incomprehensible moon runes believing them to be messages from the ancestors. Until the caribou meat runs out. Was promoted to Deputy? Arbiter by a wandering Sheeprabbit on a hunt one day and brought to a place named after some person called Chan, Onii.

Translator #3

Translator #4

Hey everyone, I'm Kou-san and I translate stuff.
I hopped on board because my social life was dying and I needed something to keep me from descending into darker chuuni pits. Now, back to learning how to run on water...

Translator #8

Hello, Kudarajin de~su! I'm just a student passing by, translating stuff! Started this since there was a series I really liked that I wanted to share with everyone. I'm trying to share the joy I feel when I read web novels with more people around the world! Now that my self-introduction is over, back to my glorious plan to turn everyone in the world into bookworms...

Translator #9

Graphical Editor #1

Graphical Editor #2

It was a dark and stormy night...the little slug, abandoned by all of it's friends, moved onwards. It undertook a hard and unwelcome journey. The ground was slippery cobblestone, all sunny-gleam and glass-sharp marble gluing the jagged edges together to resemble something beautiful. Walking upon the path would have hurt the slug, considering all the jagged pebbles knocked aside to and fro that it had to crawl over, if not for the water that fell from the sky and aided the slug's way to a place of suitable shells. And on the slug continued on this path, a little nervous but a lot determined, until two long shadows coalesced and stood in its way. "Slug! It's a slimy slug!" one crowed mockingly, laughing cruelly along with other shadows in a discordant symphony as they loomed over the slug, dark and threatening. "I'm not a slug!" it said in response, even as it flinched back. "I am a snail, like the rest of the snails. I just have no shell." The shadows did not seem to hear, and they surrounded the slug, holding sticks and tossing it around. "Stop!" the slug cried, but they did not stop. The rain spilled over the slug, until it didn't, and the slug lay helpless on the side of the streets, unmoving. There were many voices, screeching their victory as they walked into the distance, and the slug was bitterly reminded of the insults its siblings had told it. It did not resist as it was kicked harshly by a passing object and thrown into the air, landing on its soft underside so quickly it faded into unconsciousness, prone and helpless to any that wanted to eat it. It sadly thought that, perhaps, its siblings had been right. However, the slug did not die. It came to, after a long, long time, to see a large, patterned rock. "...Hello?" the slug whispered mutely, voice weak and barely audible, not expecting an answer. But surprisingly, the rock moved, revealing a wisened head that craned over to look at the slug. "Hello," it greeted calmly, "What are you? I have not seen any like you before." The slug took a long moment to comprehend its words, and even then, it felt floored. Someone who had not heard of slugs at all? "I...am a snail, who has no shell, seeking a place of suitable shells that will fit me, like the shells in the place of suitable shells near my home that fit my kin." "Is that so?" the other asked. "I cannot understand, for this shell of mine has been mine ever since my birth. I can, however, understand the need for a shell to watch your back and hide you away from the world, if that is why you wish for a shell." "It is," the slug replied. "It must be a joy to you, to have a shell crafted for you for your lifetime." "But I cannot choose another," the other answered, "While you can." It was a long, quiet moment of contemplation before the other spoke again. "Do you think this shell of mine is good?" The slug was startled, but it answered willingly enough. "Yes." "Do you think this shell of mine is strong?" "Yes," the slug answered, this time a lot more slowly, bemused. The other gave a tiny, weak smile. "Do you think this shell of mine is suitable?" The slug did not hesitate. "Yes," it said, and it could not have said anything more profound. "What are you?" the slug finally queried. "I am a turtle." And the turtle smiled wider, kindly. It may have been just a feeling. It may have been just a thought. But the turtle also said these very words: "You are a snail with a shell." And even though the turtle's shell was all lines and edges and angles, and the shells of the snail's brethren were all curls and swirls wrapping itself into rings of promise, the slug was a snail with a shell, and that was all that mattered.